quiz7#s 1-4

1. Discuss the components required for successful communications.

Sender, beneficiary, and a atmosphere. That's in the order of the most chief definition of the components of computer network.

2. Identify various sending and receiving devices.

Sending device initiates the transmission of data, instructions, and information while a receiving device accepts the items transmitted.

·        Microcomputers

·        Minicomputers

·        Mainframes

·        Internet appliances and web enabled hand held computers

3. Describe uses of computer communications.

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) is defined as any communicative transaction that occurs through the use of two or more networked computers^.While the term has traditionally referred to those communications that occur via computer-mediated formats (e.g., instant messages, e-mails, chat rooms), it has also been applied to other forms of text-based interaction such as text messaging^. Research on CMC focuses largely on the social effects of different computer-supported communication technologies. Many recent studies involve Internet-based social networking supported by social software.

 4. List advantages of using a network.

• share software
• share information with others on networks
• share peripherals
• speed of sharing software and information files
• cheaper than buying individual software and hardware for each standalone especially if for a school, network software often offers deals for amount being purchased
• security, files can be copy inhibit mode
• centralized software management- software being loaded onto one computer but also this loads software to entire network at one time
• electronic mail(e-mail) between network users, ideal for office memos
• flexible access- access you files from any computer on the network unlike standalone which would mean only being able to access your data from the one computer you uploaded data onto

quiz7 #s 5-7

5. Differentiate among client/server, peer-to-peer, and P2P networks.

Client/server-describes the relationship between two computer programs in which one program, the client, makes a service request from another program, the server, which fulfills the request.

Peer-to-peer (P2P)-computing or networking is a distributed application architecture that partitions tasks or workloads between peers. Peers are equally privileged, equipotent participants in the application. They are said to form a peer-to-peer network of nodes.

6. Describe the various network communications standards.

Networks may be classified according to a wide variety of characteristics such as medium used to transport the data, communications protocol used, scale, topology, organizational scope.

7. Explain the purpose of communications software.
Communication software is used to provide remote access to systems and is also used to exchange messages in text, audio and video format for the purpose of communication. This software sends and receives data over telephone lines through modems. The communication software allows computers in different geographical regions to communicate with each other through terminal emulators, file transfer programs, chat and instant messaging programs.

quiz7 #s 8-11

8. Describe various types of lines for communications over the telephone network.

Telex, Fax and dial-up Internet communication.

9. Describe commonly used communications devices.

Radios are communication systems that send and/or receive electromagnetic waves and consist of a transmitter, receiver, and antenna. 
Pagers are electronic communications devices that are used to notify or alert a user. Communication received by pagers may be numeric or alphanumeric, depending on the model and complexity of the device.

Other types of communication devices include navigation systems, such as global positioning systems (GPS) instruments and radar systems. GPS communication devices receive satellite communications and use it to provide position information.  
Radar communication devices use synchronized transmitters and receivers to send radio waves and detect their reflections from objects, surfaces and sub-surface structures.

10. Discuss different ways to set up a home network.


11. Identify various physical and wireless transmission media.

For physical transmission Media there are:  

• Twisted-Pair Cable 
• Coaxial Cable
• Fiber-Optic Cable

For wireless transmission media there are:

•   Broadcast Radio

• Cellular Radio

•   Microwaves

•   Communication Satellite

quiz6

1.Define system software and identify the two types of system software.

System software is computer software designed to operate the computer hardware and to provide a platform for running application software. 

The most basic types of system software are:

• The computer BIOS and device firmware, which provide basic functionality to operate and control the hardware connected to or built into the computer.
• The operating system (prominent examples being Microsoft Windows, Mac OS x and Linux, which allows the parts of a computer to work together by performing tasks like transferring data between memory and disks or rendering output onto a display device. It also provides a platform to run high-level system software and application software.
• Utility software, which helps to analyze, configure, optimize and maintain the computer.

2.Briefly describe various server operating systems: Windows Server, c,Linux, Solaris, and NetWare.

Windows Server is a brand name for a group of server operating systems released by Microsoft Corporation. 

Linux refers to the family of Unix-like computer operating systems using the Linux kernel. Linux can be installed on a wide variety of computer hardware, ranging from mobile phones, tablet computers, routers and video game consoles, to desktop computers, mainframes and supercomputers. Linux is a leading server operating system, and runs the 10 fastest supercomputers in the world.

NetWare is a network operating system developed by Novell, Inc. It initially used cooperative multitasking  to run various services on a personal computer, with network protocols based on the archetypal Xerox Network Systems stack.

3.Summarize the features of several embedded operating systems: Windows Embedded CE, Windows Mobile, Palm OS, iPhone OS, BlackBerry, Google Android, Embedded Linux, and Symbian OS.

Microsoft Windows CE (now officially known as Windows Embedded Compact and previously also known as Windows Embedded CE ,and sometimes abbreviated WinCE) is an operating system developed by Microsoft for embedded systems . Windows CE is a distinct operating system and kernel, rather than a trimmed-down version of desktop Windows.

Windows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was used in smart phones  and  mobile devices,  but by 2011 was rarely supplied on new phones.

Palm OS (also known as Garnet OS) is a mobile operating system initially developed by Palm, Inc., for personal digital assistants (PDAs) in 1996.  Palm OS is designed for ease of use with a touchscreen-based  graphical user interface. It is provided with a suite of basic applications for personal information management.  Later versions of the OS have been extended to support smart phones.Several other licensees have manufactured devices powered by Palm OS. 
iOS (known as iPhone OS before June 2010) is Apple's mobile operating system. Originally developed for the iPhone, it has since been extended to support other Apple devices such as the iPod touch, iPad and Apple TV.


4. Explain the purpose of several utility programs: file manager, search utility, image viewer, uninstaller, disk cleanup, disk defragmenter, backup and restore utilities, screen saver, personal firewall, antivirus programs, spyware and adware removers, Internet filters, file compression, media player, disc burning, and personal computer maintenance.

File manager or file browser is a computer program that provides a user interface to work with file systems.

Web search engine is designed to search for information on the World Wide Web and FTP servers.

Image viewer or image browser is a computer program that can display stored graphical image; it can often handle various graphics file formats.

Uninstaller, also called a deinstaller, is a utility software designed to remove other software or parts of it from a computer. It is the opposite of an installer.

Disk Cleanup is a computer maintenance utility included in Microsoft Windows designed to free up disk space on a computer's hard drive.

Defragmentation is a process that reduces the amount of fragmentation in file systems it does by physically organizing the contents of the mass storage device to store files in a contiguous region if possible, or in the smallest possible number of regions (fragments) if not.

Backup or the process of backing up refers to making copies of data so that these additional copies may be used to restore the original after a data loss event.

Screensaver is a type of computer program initially designed to prevent phosphor burn-in on CRT and plasma computer monitors by blanking the screen or filling it with moving images or patterns when the computer is not in use.

Personal firewall is an application which controls network traffic to and from a computer, permitting or denying communications based on a security policy.

Antivirus or anti-virus software is used to prevent, detect, and remove malware, including but not limited to computer viruses, computer worm, trojan horses, spyware and adware.

Spyware is a type of malware that can be installed on computers, and which collects small pieces of information about users without their knowledge.

Data compression, source coding or bit-rate reduction is the process of encoding information using fewer bits than the original representation would use.

Content-control software, also known as censorware or web filtering software is a term for software designed and optimized for controlling what content is permitted to a reader, especially when it is used to restrict material delivered over the Web.

Media player is a term typically used to describe computer software for playing back multimedia files.

Optical disc authoring is the process of assembling source material—video, audio or other data—into the proper logical volume format to then be recorded ("burned") onto an optical disc (typically a compact disc or DVD).

Computer maintenance is the practice of keeping computers in a good state of repair.

quiz5

1. Differentiate between storage devices and storage media.

Storage device refers to the apparatus for recording computer data. Examples are the RAM, floppy drives, ZIP drives, and other disks drives. While, storage media are the materials on which data are written and stored. Examples are the floppy disks, optical discs, hard disks, etc.

2. Identify the uses of tape, magnetic stripe cards, smart cards, microfilm and microfiche, and enterprise storage.

Tape- Tape is a magnetically coated ribbon of plastic capable of storing large amounts of data and information at a low cost. A tape drive reads and writes data and information on tape. Business users utilize tape most often for long-term storage and backup.

Magnetic stripe cards- First used in the early 1960s, magnetic stripe technology, occasionally called "magstripe," remains as an effective form of information storage. While other technologies have come onto the market, magnetic stripe cards are still a cheap, easily implemented system that is seen and used by millions of people every day. The information that is encoded onto the stripe is usually unique to the cardholder and helps to identify that person.

Smart cards- A smart card, which is similar in size to a credit or ATM card, stores data on a thin microprocessor embedded in the card. A smart card reader reads the information on the smart card and updates it if necessary.

Microfilm is a 100- to 215-foot roll of film. Microfiche is a small sheet of film, usually about 4 X 6 inches. Microfilm and microfiche reduce the amount of paper firms must handle, are inexpensive, and have the longest life of any storage media.

 Enterprises use computers, servers, and networks to manage and store huge volumes of data and information. In an enterprise, some storage systems can provide more than 185 TB of storage, and optical disc servers hold hundreds of optical discs.

3. Describe the various types of flash memory storage: solid state drives, memory cards, USB flash drives, and ExpressCard modules.

Solid-state drive (SSD)-is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data with the intention of providing access in the same manner of a traditional block i/o hard disk drive.

Memory card or flash card-is an electronic flash memory data storage device used for storing digital information. They are commonly used in many electronic devices, including digital cameras, mobile phones, laptop computers, MP3 players, and video game consoles. They are small, re-recordable, and able to retain data without power.

USB flash drive consists of a flash memory data storage device integrated with a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface. USB flash drives are typically removable and rewritable, and physically much smaller than a floppy disk. Most weigh less than 30 g (1 oz). Storage capacities in 2010 can be as large as 256 GB with steady improvements in size and price per capacity expected. Some allow 1 million write or erase cycles and offer a 10-year.

Expresscard module-is a new technology that slots into a computer system to allow the addition of hardware capabilities. The Expresscard was introduced by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) in 2003 and is a thinner, lighter and faster modular expansion for users of desktop and notebook computers. Hardware capabilities such as extra memory, wired and wireless communication tools and security devices can be added by inserting these modules into the system.

4. Differentiate among various types of optical discs: CDs, archive discs and Picture CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray Discs.

Compact Disc (also known as a CD) is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage (CD-ROM), write-once audio and data storage (CD-R), rewritable media (CD-RW), Video Compact Discs (VCD), Super Video Compact Discs (SVCD), PhotoCD, PictureCD, CD-i, and Enhanced CD. Audio CDs and audio CD players have been commercially available since October 1982.

Picture CD is a product by Kodak, following on from the earlier Photo CD product. It holds photos from a single roll of color film, stored at 1024×1536 resolution using JPEG  compression. The product is aimed at consumers. Software to view and perform simple edits to images is included on the CD. The Picture CD is a standard recordable CD with Kodak software prerecorded.

DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic  in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than compact discs  while having the same dimensions.

Blu-ray Disc (official abbreviation BD) is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The disc diameter is 120 mm and disc thickness 1.2 mm plastic optical disc, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs (50 GB), the norm for feature-length video discs.

5. Summarize the characteristics of ink-jet printers, photo printers, laser printers, multifunction peripherals, thermal printers, mobile printers, label and postage printers, and plotters and large-format printers

Inkjet printer-is a type of computer printer that creates a digital image by propelling droplets of ink onto paper.

Laser printer-is a common type of computer printer that rapidly produces high quality text and graphics on plain paper.
MFP (Multi Function Product/ Printer/ Peripheral), multifunctional, all-in-one (AIO), or Multifunction Device (MFD)-is an office machine which incorporates the functionality of multiple devices in one, so as to have a smaller footprint in a home or small business setting or to provide centralized document management/distribution/production in a large-office setting.

Printer-is a peripheral which produces a text and/or graphics of documents stored in electronic form, usually on physical print media such as paper or transparencies.

Thermal printer (or direct thermal printer) produces a printed image by selectively heating coated thermochromic paper, or thermal paper as it is commonly known, when the paper passes over the thermal print head. The coating turns black in the areas where it is heated, producing an image.

Postage meter is a mechanical device used to create and apply physical evidence of postage (or franking) to mailed matter.

Mobile Imaging and Printing Consortium-is a non-profit industry association formed to promote the usage of mobile devices with digital cameras, particularly camera phones, and the printing of photographs taken with them.

Plotter-is a computer printing device for printing vector graphics. In the past, plotters were widely used in applications such as computer-aided design, though they have generally been replaced with wide-format conventional printers, and it is now commonplace to refer to such wide-format printers as "plotters," even though they technically aren't.

Wide-format printers (contrast to vector-rendering "plotters")-are generally accepted to be any printer with a print width between 17" and 100". Printers over the 100" mark may be called Super-Wide or Grand format.

quiz3 #s 1-3

1. Describe the four categories of output.

• Text-consists of characters (letters, numbers, punctuation marks, or any other symbol requiring one byte of computer storage space) that are used to create words, sentences, and paragraphs.

• Graphics-are digital representations of nontext information such as drawings, charts, photographs, and animation (a series of still images in rapid sequence that gives the illusion of motion).

• Audio-is music, speech, or any other sound.

• Video- consists of images played back at speeds to provide the appearance of full motion. 

2. The characteristics of LCD monitors, LCD screens, plasma monitors, and HDTVs.




Liquid crystal display (LCD)-is a thin, flat electronic visual display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals (LCs). LCs do not emit light directly.
They are used in a wide range of applications, including computer monitors, television, instrument panels, aircraft cockpit displays, signage, etc. They are common in consumer devices such as video players, gaming devices, clocks, watches, calculators, and telephones.

3. What are the components inside the system unit.

Motherboard-sometimes called a system board is the main circuit board of the system unit.

Processor- also called the Central Processing Unit (CPU), interprets and carries out the basic instructions that operate a computer

Control Unit- is the component of the processor that directs and coordinates most of the operations in the computer.

Arithmetic Logic Unit-another component of the processor, performs arithmetic, comparison, and other operations.

Machine Cycle- for every instruction, a processor repeats a set of four basic operations, which comprise a machine cycle.

System clock-the processor relies on a small quartz crystal circuit called the system clock to control the timing of all computer operations.

Dual-Core Processor-is a single chip that contains two separate processors.

Multi-core processor- is a chip with two or more separate processors.

Memory-consists of electronic components that store instructions waiting to be executed by the processor, data needed by those instructions, and the results of processed data (information).

RAM (Random Access Memory) - also called main memory, consists of memory chips that can be read from and written to by the processor and other devices. The RAM is where most files that are used while the computer is on, are stored while being used.

Memory module-this is where RAM chips usually reside. This is a small circuit board. -Memory slots-These are the slots on the mother board that hold the memory module.

Cache-is how computers improve processing times

quiz3 #s 4-10

4. The components of a processor and how they complete a machine cycle. 

• Control unit - responsible for supervising the operation of the entire computer system.   
• Arithmetic/logic unit (ALU) -provides the computer with logical and computational capabilities.  
• Register -a storage location inside the processor.

 

5. Define a bit and describe how a series of bits represents data.